The present invention relates to pipe support systems used in building construction, and more particularly to a new and improved carrier unit and system that allows for the simple, convenient and organized support of one or more conduit pipes designed to survive the shifting and stress of a minor earthquake.
In the field of building construction, conduit piping is widely used for such purposes as plumbing, carrying electrical cable, and/or serving mechanical purposes (air intake/exhaust, natural gas, etc.). Such conduit piping is generally installed behind walls, below floors, above ceilings, or in crawl spaces between floors of multiple-story buildings. In the construction of both commercial and residential structures, there is often a need to run great lengths of conduit piping in a straight line or in a uniform way. Present methods of mounting conduit pipe to a building utilize one or more separate and independent clamps or straps for support.
Numerous problems are presented by the existing methods of supporting conduit pipe. First, is the problem of isolating the pipe from the structure to which it is mounted. Most existing pipe clamps are in the shape of a modified "U" (or horseshoe) which is strapped over the pipe and attached directly to a support member. This brings the pipe into direct contact with the support member which allows the transmission of sound (e.g. water hammer) to the member and throughout the structure. Heat transmission and electrolysis may also take place. However, the most significant problem presented by not isolating the pipe from the structure occurs when there is movement of the structure as a result of such things as an earthquake or other shifting or settling. Countless fires have been caused by natural gas pipes which rupture as a result of an earthquake, which damage is compounded by the inability to deliver water because of these pipes bursting as well.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,684,223 to Logsdon describes a pipe clamp having a slotted cylindrical center section having ridges extending towards its interior for holding a pipe in place but away from the mounting surface. Although this clamp accomplishes some separation, there is no float or play between the pipe and the clamp itself. Thus, in the event of an earthquake, this clamp may well cause the pipe to rupture.
A second problem presented by existing methods is providing a way to uniformly (i.e. in a straight line) mount a long run of pipe, especially when the pipe has pre-determined curves or joints in it which must be set before the pipe is mounted to the building. Under existing methods, such a preconstructed pipe mounted below a floor will dangle and likely break as it is slowly attached to the floor joists one clamp at a time; then, because of the joist by joist mounting method, the pipe may wind up out of place, crooked, or unduly stressed.
A third problem inherent in existing methods is the unnecessary duplication of support clamps for the various different pipes that may be installed in generally the same places. In present building practice, the plumbing, electrical and mechanical trades tend to make their conduit pipe installations at different times during the course of a given construction project. For each such pipe (plumbing, electrical, mechanical, etc.) a different skilled worker will independently follow the same pattern of measuring, holding, clamping, and connecting his particular pipe in roughly the same place as the previous skilled worker who mounted his own separate pipe. This results in considerable wasted time.